A Schroon Laker.com poll conducted in May showed more than 80 percent of respondents were in favor of a new, expanded Stewart's Store.

Stewart's in Schroon won't be getting a new ice cream counter -- or products, or gas pumps or new jobs -- after opponents of a proposed expansion defeated the plan.

In what's been described as an emotionally charged meeting Monday night, where the worst, not the best of folks was on display, a "zoning protest" filed by local residents was enough to derail the new store. Pete Demola, from The Sun newspaper, has covered the controversy from the beginning, and was at last night's meeting. From Pete's report:

"The Schroon Town Board voted 3 to 1 (with one abstention) on Monday to approve to allow retail usage in the residential neighborhood.

But an attorney representing a group of neighboring homeowners opposed to the project filed a zoning protest petition that required a super majority vote in order to approve the change.

“It appears the rezoning is not approved despite the fact that three board members voted in favor,” said Town Attorney Mark Schachner.